Title: Her Werewolf Bodyguard
Series: Moon Pack Rules #1–4
Author: Michele Bardsley
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Disclosure of
Material Connection: I received this book
for review from Masquerade Book Tours and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to
write a positive review. The opinions I
have expressed are my own. I am posting
this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of
Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".
Synopsis:
Stephanie Draper is on the run from an abusive husband--a terrifying breed of shifter. She seeks sanctuary in Tulsa, Oklahoma at her childhood home. Her stepfather is a respected Moon Pack werewolf, and even though she's human, she's considered a pack member, too.Nolan Wright is also a Moon Pack werewolf and a cop with the Tulsa PD. He can sniff out a damsel in distress from five miles away ... and it doesn't take him long to find the beautiful and haunted Stephanie.
Beauty wants the Beast. Stephanie has built solid walls around her heart--for a good damned reason. But Nolan's kind and funny demeanor is creeping through the cracks of those walls, and soon, she finds herself falling for the handsome shifter. It feels like Stephanie may finally be able to piece together her shattered life ... until her monstrous husband returns for his final revenge...
Amazon | Goodreads
My Thoughts:
Stephanie Draper is a human living in a shifter world but her
experience with the paranormal is not all romantic. She’s a woman with a lot of inner
strength. Nolan Wright’s mother brought
him up right and you’ll understand when these two meet for the first time. But he also knows how to go alpha when he
sees something he wants. And you will
want to get comfortable because you won’t be moving anywhere for a while.
This story is more then the romance, and yes sex, between our two
main characters. There’s also something
sinister that is going on and Nolan is the perfect protector. I’m a little glad that this isn’t in
video. With our evil character I’d
probably be hiding behind a pillow. Our
author also added a character named Aiden Kearney and you can read his story in
The Dragon Rules.
Paranormal Romance fans will love to read this book. It’s a great incentive to read more of this
author’s work especially since a character appears in another series. This book is a read that you can get done in
just a few short hours and that was my disappointment – I wasn’t ready for this
title to end. If you’re a reader that
likes to set the mood, and it’s not too cool where you are, I would sit and
enjoy nature as you read. Can’t wait to
get my next fix of this author.
Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Michele Bardsley writes howling good paranormal romances. When she's not writing, Michele consumes chocolate, crochet hats, watches "Supernatural," reads on her Kindle, and spend times with her awesome hubby and their fur babies.
“RANDALL HAS AN excellent chance of recovery. He’s strong, somewhat healthy, and he’s as stubborn as a mule.”
“Don’t you mean stubborn as a werewolf?” Stephanie Draper had never known any other creatures as stubborn as werewolves. She looked into Dr. Lee’s kind brown eyes. The small private hospital had been built by the Moon Pack specifically to treat shifters. Her stepfather’s heart attack had landed him inside the facility. If she hadn’t moved back home last week, he probably would have died. He lived alone in a house far too big for a single being, but since it was a family home, he wouldn’t sell. She didn’t blame him. She loved the gigantic house, too.
Stephanie looked down at her dad, not of blood but certainly of heart, and thought him too pale. He’d always been so strong, so confident. God! She’d lost enough. Randall had raised her since she was six-months-old.
She didn’t know anything about her sperm donor—and never had the urge to find out.
Randall Draper was her father.
And that was that.
Stephanie was human, but she’d known about werewolves her whole life. Randall, in both the human courts and in the werewolf pack, had adopted her. She was considered a Moon Pack member even though she couldn’t sprout fur and howl at the moon.
When she was ten, her mother died in a car accident, and after it had been Randall and Stephanie against the world.
Well, until five years ago, when she went to off to California to attend college and ended up marrying the wrong man.
But she wasn’t going to think about that.
“Dr. Lee, when can he come home?”
“It will be at least a week, maybe longer, I’m afraid. I want to monitor his progress closely. And it will give me the chance to get him to exercise more and eat right. Maybe if he gets into the habit at the hospital, he’ll continue to do it at home.”
She smiled slightly. “I doubt Dad will give up his double-decker cheeseburgers. But it’s worth a shot.”
Dr. Lee patted her on the shoulder. Stephanie flinched, gritted her teeth, and sent him an apologetic smile.
The doctor said nothing, although she was sure he knew what she’d went through—everyone in the pack did. As soon as she’d called him to ask for help, he’d immediately got her onto a private jet and whisked her back to Tulsa. Then he’d gone straight to Kade Stonewell, the Moon Pack alpha, who’d promised her protection.
The doctor left her father’s dark, quiet hospital room. The monitor’s constant beep-beep reassured her that all was well. At least with Dad. She slid into a chair and clasped her father’s limp hand. He’d regained consciousness in the ambulance and had given the paramedics hell all the way into the hospital. Dr. Lee had confirmed that he’d suffered a heart attack, ordered a battery of tests, and promptly shut up the old man’s mutterings with a shot of pain medication.
The door opened. Stephanie turned, expecting the nurse.
“Hello there.” The man stood inside the door, his broad shoulders blocking out most of the light spilling in from the busy hallway.
Stephanie’s mouth dried. He was so big. Dark hair curled around the collar of his pale blue shirt, and he wore faded, tight Levis. He might have been handsome, but his face was all angles, his nose crooked in the middle, his chin rough with stubble. He smiled at her, and she noticed the sensual fullness of his lips.
“Who are you?” Her question sounded brusque, but she didn’t apologize. She didn’t want him here. Didn’t want him evoking the rusty desire screeching upward—a starved beast wanting a meal.
But the normal feeling of attraction one human had for another brought her no joy. Following her heart had led her straight into hell.
“My name is Nolan Wright. The alpha sent me to look in on you. I’m an officer with the Tulsa Police Department.”
He was a werewolf. That explained his size and why he exuded so much machismo. Her girly parts awakened in his presence, and she didn’t like it one bit.
She glanced at him through her lashes, finally seeing the offering in his left hand. “Are those flowers?”
“Leave it to a woman to notice gifts,” he teased, stepping forward. The door shut behind him. Stephanie released her father’s hand, stood, and blindly reached for the light switch. She couldn’t remain in the darkness with such a powerful man. Before her fingers could touch the panel, soft light invaded the room.
“Light. The better to see you with.” The teasing glint in his voice made her uncomfortably warm. She sat in the chair, and then stood, not wanting him to tower over her—although he already did by at least a foot.
“Are you making a Red Riding Hood joke?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I try to stick with the classics.” He pulled a wallet out of his back pocket, flipped it open, and handed it to her. “I’ve been assigned to oversee your security.”
Stephanie studied his badge, memorizing the number etched in the metal. She looked closely at the picture ID, flipped it closed, and handed it back. “I’m Stephanie Draper.”
She felt foolish for introducing herself. He knew who she was … that’s why he was here.
“Stephanie.” He said her name as if he were savoring a fine wine. She shivered—desire winding through her like silk ropes.
Her gaze locked onto the bouquet he held. “You can put them over there,” she said, pointing to a table in the corner. Many flowers and balloons already inhabited the room. Her Dad had a lot of friends.
“These aren’t for your father. They’re for you.”
He handed her the bouquet and stepped away as if he knew how his size affected her. Stephanie blinked down at the unexpected gift. She brushed the delicate tulips with a fingertip.
“Beautiful,” she whispered. Gratitude and wonder fill her, but she thrust the flowers at him. Who was he to give her flowers? She’d had enough of niceties followed by earnest promises followed by ... she pushed the ugly thoughts away.
“I don’t want them.” God, she sounded rude. He made no move to take the bouquet. The plastic wrapping crinkled in her hand as she clenched it. The flowers shook in her trembling grasp.
“My mother once told me tulips were kissed by angels and sent to earth to give us happiness.” He looked at her, his midnight eyes holding her hostage. “She planted them every spring. Said they gave her hope. Renewed her spirit.”
His hand curled gently around hers. The heat of his skin penetrated her fingertips. A warmth, a calmness flowed through her, which was as unexpected as the flowers. “Enjoy them, Stephanie. Please.”
Words failed her. She nodded, and then clutched the flowers close, as though hope really was somehow imbued in the petals and could belong to her again.
“How’s your father?”
“He’ll be all right, but he’ll be in the hospital for a while. It turns out not even werewolves are invincible.”
“What about you? Are you going to be okay?”
An awkward silence fell as she scrambled to gather her scattered thoughts. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and inhaled deeply. “I’m fine.”
“There are two men stationed outside the door for your safety. You need anything, call me.” He reached into his back jean pocket, drew out his wallet and extracted a small, white card. “My home number is on the front, and my personal cell number on the back.”
Stephanie took the card, glanced at the scrawled black ink, and stared at him. “I’m used to handling things on my own.” And look where that’s gotten you. She swallowed hard. “But thank you. I’m grateful for your assistance.”
“You’re not alone.” The corner of his mouth lifted into a half-smile.
“We’ll take care you. Someone will always be within shouting distance. You won’t always see us, but we’ll be there.”
“Thank you.”
“Kade sent enforcers to track the man who hurt you.”
Stephanie sucked in a sharp breath. “What? Why?”
“You’re part of the pack, Stephanie. If you threaten one of us, then you threaten all of us.”
She felt the blood drain from her face. She’d given her stepfather the bare-bones story, but there was so much she hadn’t told him. How could she?
“Hey, you all right?”
“Yes. I … I’m good.”
“Okay. Someone will follow you home and keep watch at the house. You’re safe, Stephanie. I promise.”
She nodded, unable to say anything else. He offered one last gentle smile before he strode to the door. She watched him grab the handle, saw the corded muscles in his arm, and felt a mix of need and fear that confused her.
The door swished shut behind him.
Stephanie held onto the tulips, strangely reluctant to put down her gift. Instead, she sank into the chair and struggled with her new burdens.
She’d been a fool to think she could escape Garrett. Less than two weeks had passed since she managed to free herself. Damn it. She didn’t want to be the type of woman who needed rescuing. It still shamed her to realize she’d fallen for Garrett’s charms despite the warning signs of his controlling, abusive behavior. She suffered the consequences of that decision—and now, she’d drawn a target on her father.
And the Moon Pack.
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